Questions & Answers about Gaten ved parken er smal.
Why is gaten used instead of gate?
Gate is the indefinite form (“a street”), while gaten is the definite singular (“the street”). In Norwegian Bokmål you mark definiteness by adding a suffix to the noun: gate → gaten.
Why does parken end with -en? Could you say en park instead?
Just like gaten, parken is the definite form (“the park”). If you wanted “a park,” you’d say en park:
• Gaten ved en park er smal. (The street by a park is narrow.)
I’ve heard feminine nouns can also take -a in Bokmål. Why isn’t it gata ved parken er smal?
Many feminine nouns allow two definite endings in Bokmål:
• -en (common/weak): gaten, jenten, bilen
• -a (feminine/strong): gata, jenta, bila
Both Gaten ved parken er smal and Gata ved parken er smal are correct.
Why is the adjective smal not smale, smalt, or smalene?